Oh the Crime You'll Fight!
by DC Luder
Summary: Batman version of "The Places You'll Go!" for the Bludhaven's Dr. Seuss's Birthday challenge.


Title: Oh the Crime You'll Fight!

Author: DC Luder

Summary: Batman version of "The Places You'll Go!" for the Bludhaven Dr. Seuss's Birthday challenge.

Rating: T

Infringements: All recognizable characters belong to DC Comics, not DC Luder. "Oh the Places You'll Go!" was written by Dr. Seuss and published by Random House.

Author's Note: My first dance with poetry. Please be gentle. FF net is being obnoxious with the spacing, my apologies that the verses aren't seperated.

^V^

Tonight is your night!

You're off to fight crime!

You're ready to take on thugs dozens at a time!

You have a mask on your face,

You have feet in your boots,

You can steer your Batmobile in any direction you choose.

You're all alone.

And you know what to do.

And YOU are the one they all will look in fear to.

You'll look down on the streets.

Look'em over with a glare.

About some you'll say, "Punks wouldn't loiter there."

With your mask in place and your boots full of feet,

You're not afraid to go down a not-so-good street.

And you may not find any crime in Midtown.

In that case, of course, you'll give the East End a rundown.

It's darker there in the cold, damp air.

Out there, bad things can happen and frequently do

To vigilantes as brave and determined as you.

And when bad things happen, don't worry, don't brood.

You'll carry on.

You'll fight on, tried and true.

Oh! The crime you will fight!

You'll save the day!

You'll be the great dark knight!

You'll fill criminals with fright!

You won't give up, because of your promise.

The one you made to Martha and Thomas.

Wherever you go, they will say you're obsessed.

Wherever you go, you will top all of the rest.

But the times that you don't, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true

That losses and betrayals can happen to you.

You can get hung up on the pain that persists.

Even when your allies carry on.

You'll be left with nothing but the abyss.

You'll come out of the dark after a bit of a slump,

And the chances are, then, that you'll be quite a grump.

And when you're a grump, you are far from fun,

Un-grumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to the place where their blood ran.

Where three lives ended,

Where yours began.

A place that was safe, but gave birth to Crime Alley.

Do you dare to think back?

Do you dare to feel again?

On how much you lost?

On all of the pain?

And if you think back, how far should you go…the pearls and the gun?

Or, maybe, not that far back?

Not even thinking of yourself as their son?

Easy it's not, I'm afraid you will find,

For a haunted vigilante to make up his mind.

You can bury your feelings, put on a brave face,

Spend sleepless nights working at an inhuman pace.

And disregard your welfare, sacrificing it for the human race,

Headed, no doubt, toward a most frightening place.

The empty place… where they used to be.

Empty after they died, right at your feet,

Or when his face was scarred, his sanity offbeat,

Or when he fled as to spread his wings,

Or when he died from the crowbar's swings,

Or when the city crumbled, from plague, quake and crime,

Or when you yourself was paralyzed for a time.

The empty place is waiting for you.

Waiting for the right moment to break out of jail

Or waiting for the right person to emit a painful wail.

Or waiting, perhaps, for the sidekick to error.

Or a group of hostages, or a city event,

Or perhaps an ally to viciously torment.

The empty place is just waiting for you.

You can't forget, not you!

Somehow, every time, fate finds a way.

Of hurting those you love, causing you pain.

In the end, it never stops you, you always overcome,

No matter what's happened, no matter what's been done.

Ready for any crime, big or small.

Ready to forge ahead, to fight them all!

Oh, the crime you'll fight!

There is always more to be done!

There are lives to be saved.

There are battles to be won.

And the great things you will do will go unsung

You need not the glory or worship from the young.

You'll gladly retreat back into the cave,

With the whole wide world never seeing what you gave.

Expect that they won't.

Would you want them to? Nope!

There's no doubt that someday it'll get through your head,

That there's more to life than just thinking about the dead.

You're not alone.

Whether you like it or not,

You have allies, people you can depend on a lot.

And when you think you're alone,

You're probably not,

Those that are gone refuse to be forgot.

There are memories that will haunt, taunt and cause you pain,

There are those that will warm you, in the cold, wind and rain.

But crime you will fight, with the odds stacked high.

On you will go with the signal searing the sky.

On you will go without asking why.

Onward you'll go to countless a crime scene,

Though you may grow tired, they will only grow more obscene

Though you may grow weary, your mind stays sharp and keen.

On and on you will fight.

And I know you'll fight on,

And face your opponents and obstacles until gone or dawn.

You'll falter, of course, as you already know.

You'll tangle with strange villains as you go.

So be sure when you fight.

Fight with focus and tact

And remember that nothing in life is a mere act.

Always think ahead, be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right fist with your left.

But will you succeed?

Occasionally, yes, I decree!

(But in the grand scheme, no nightly guarantee.)

Your city needs you, to protect and stand guard!

So…be your name hero, vigilante, menace or savior,

You're off to thwart misbehavior!

Tonight is your night!

Your city is calling.

Don the cape and cowl and take flight!

^V^


End file.
